Threats · 150 days ago
DDoS-for-Hire Networks Lose Their User Base The takedown matters less for the 53 domains than for the user records behind them. Seizing booter infrastructure gives law enforcement a durable map of who bought DDoS capacity, which turns a disruption into a long-tail identification and prosecution resource.
Europol’s Operation PowerOFF shut down 53 DDoS-for-hire domains across 21 countries, arrested four suspects, and sent more than 75,000 warning notices to identified users. Authorities also obtained databases with over 3 million alleged criminal accounts, which is the part that outlasts the service outage.
That database exposure changes the threat picture for DDoS-for-hire ecosystems. Even if replacement sites appear, the customer base is now exposed to follow-on investigation, deterrence, and account linkage across other criminal services.
Timeline Sources 8 sources covering this story
The Record from Recorded Future Apr 17
Four arrested in latest ‘PowerOFF’ DDoS-for-hire takedown
More than 20 countries participated in a coordinated takedown of platforms selling cheap access to distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.
Infosecurity Magazine Apr 17
DDoS-For-Hire Services Disrupted by International Police Action
Coordinated action by FBI, Europol and others seizes infrastructure, makes arrests – and sends warning letters to known DDoS service users
The Hacker News Apr 17
Operation PowerOFF Seizes 53 DDoS Domains, Exposes 3 Million Criminal Accounts
53 DDoS domains seized in Operation PowerOFF across 21 countries, exposing 3 million accounts and disrupting 75,000 users' attacks.
Cybersecurity Dive Apr 17
US joins nearly two dozen other countries in striking back against DDoS-for-hire platforms
Authorities around the world seized more than 50 websites associated with DDoS “booter” services.
SecurityWeek Apr 17
53 DDoS Domains Taken Down by Law Enforcement
Authorities in 21 countries participated in a coordinated action against DDoS-for-hire services.
TechCrunch Security Apr 16
European police email 75,000 people asking them to stop DDoS attacks | TechCrunch
Europol coordinated an operation against for-hire distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) services, including the arrest of four people and the takedown of 53 domains.
BleepingComputer Apr 16
Operation PowerOFF identifies 75k DDoS users, takes down 53 domains
The latest wave of "Operation PowerOFF," on April 13, 2026, targeted the distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) ecosystem and its users across 21 countries.
CyberScoop Apr 16
Officials seize 53 DDoS-for-hire domains in ongoing crackdown
Operation PowerOFF’s latest globally coordinated action identified more than 75,000 alleged cybercriminals.
Part of the PlainSec briefing for 2026-04-18
Editions Related stories Threats · 150 days ago
DDoS-for-Hire Networks Lose Their User Base The takedown matters less for the 53 domains than for the user records behind them. Seizing booter infrastructure gives law enforcement a durable map of who bought DDoS capacity, which turns a disruption into a long-tail identification and prosecution resource.
Europol’s Operation PowerOFF shut down 53 DDoS-for-hire domains across 21 countries, arrested four suspects, and sent more than 75,000 warning notices to identified users. Authorities also obtained databases with over 3 million alleged criminal accounts, which is the part that outlasts the service outage.
That database exposure changes the threat picture for DDoS-for-hire ecosystems. Even if replacement sites appear, the customer base is now exposed to follow-on investigation, deterrence, and account linkage across other criminal services.
Timeline Sources 8 sources covering this story
The Record from Recorded Future Apr 17
Four arrested in latest ‘PowerOFF’ DDoS-for-hire takedown
More than 20 countries participated in a coordinated takedown of platforms selling cheap access to distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.
Infosecurity Magazine Apr 17
DDoS-For-Hire Services Disrupted by International Police Action
Coordinated action by FBI, Europol and others seizes infrastructure, makes arrests – and sends warning letters to known DDoS service users
The Hacker News Apr 17
Operation PowerOFF Seizes 53 DDoS Domains, Exposes 3 Million Criminal Accounts
53 DDoS domains seized in Operation PowerOFF across 21 countries, exposing 3 million accounts and disrupting 75,000 users' attacks.
Cybersecurity Dive Apr 17
US joins nearly two dozen other countries in striking back against DDoS-for-hire platforms
Authorities around the world seized more than 50 websites associated with DDoS “booter” services.
SecurityWeek Apr 17
53 DDoS Domains Taken Down by Law Enforcement
Authorities in 21 countries participated in a coordinated action against DDoS-for-hire services.
TechCrunch Security Apr 16
European police email 75,000 people asking them to stop DDoS attacks | TechCrunch
Europol coordinated an operation against for-hire distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) services, including the arrest of four people and the takedown of 53 domains.
BleepingComputer Apr 16
Operation PowerOFF identifies 75k DDoS users, takes down 53 domains
The latest wave of "Operation PowerOFF," on April 13, 2026, targeted the distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) ecosystem and its users across 21 countries.
CyberScoop Apr 16
Officials seize 53 DDoS-for-hire domains in ongoing crackdown
Operation PowerOFF’s latest globally coordinated action identified more than 75,000 alleged cybercriminals.
Part of the PlainSec briefing for 2026-04-18
Editions Related stories